MILWAUKEE -The Marquette University women's volleyball team aims for a 3-0 start to BIG EAST Conference play for the third time in as many years when the squad heads to the East Coast for a pair of matches at Georgetown on Friday, Oct. 4 and at Villanova on Saturday, Oct. 5.

The Last Meeting

Marquette

3

Georgetown

1

October 26, 2012
Washington, D.C.

Marquette Fends off Georgetown, 3-1
The Marquette University women's volleyball team fought off a resilient Georgetown squad for a 3-1 victory (26-24, 25-23, 31-29, 25-18) Friday evening at McDonough Arena in Washington, D.C.

Marquette Sweeps Villanova for 20th Win
A third-straight 20-win campaign was guaranteed for the Marquette University women's volleyball team Sunday afternoon with a 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-16, 25-23) of Villanova at Jake Nevin Field House in Villanova, Pa.

Action begins in Washington, D.C. against Georgetown at McDonough Arena at 7 p.m. Central time on Friday, followed by a trek up to Villanova, Pa., to take on the Wildcats at 6 p.m. CT Saturday at Jake Nevin Field House.

The Golden Eagles (8-4, 1-0 BIG EAST) got their league slate rolling on Saturday, Sept. 28 with a five-set victory at DePaul filled with personal milestones and career highs. The victory got Marquette off to a 1-0 start in conference play for the third-straight year and marked the 100th win for Marquette head coach Bond Shymansky with the Golden Eagles.

Freshmen Autumn Bailey (29 kills), Nele Barber (18 kills) and Meghan Niemann (14 kills and seven blocks) all added career highs against the Blue Demons to lead a vaunted offensive attack that hit a combined .387. Senior setter Elizabeth Koberstein set up Marquette's hitters to the tune of 69 assists, the highest single-match total in the league this season, and was named BIG EAST Player of the Week on Monday for her efforts. Bailey also earned honor roll mention.

Marquette got off to a program-best 10-0 start to league play in 2011 and won its first eight BIG EAST matches last year.

A live video stream will be available for both matches through each university's respective websites at a cost, while live statistics can be accessed via GameTracker.

SHYMANSKY CLAIMS 100TH MARQUETTE VICTORY: Head coach Bond Shymansky picked up his 100th victory as Marquette's program steward on Saturday, Sept. 28 at DePaul with a 3-2 victory. He is 100-43 at MU and 272-107 in his career. Shymansky is the third head coach at MU to rack up 100 wins and has done so in the fewest number of matches. He entered the year 20th among active head coaches in winning percentage and 25th all-time in NCAA Division I.

SCOUTING THE COMPETITION:at Georgetown [6-8 (0-1 BIG EAST) | GUHoyas.com | @HoyaVolleyball]: The Hoyas fell at Villanova, 3-1, on Saturday, Sept. 28, in their BIG EAST Conference opener. Outside hitter Lauren Saar leads the Hoyas with 3.05 kills per set, but is just hitting .164 (174-83-556) on the season. Georgetown has lost its last three matches, but defeated Western Michigan and Iona on Saturday, Sept. 14 in Gainesville, Fla., with freshman setter Caitlin Brauneis earning all-tournament honors for her play against the Broncos, Gaels and Florida Gators. The Hoyas last beat the Golden Eagles on their home court in 2010 with a 3-2 victory at McDonough Arena. Series history: MU leads 5-4.

at Villanova [9-5 (1-0 BIG EAST) | Villanova.com | @NovaVolleyball]: Villanova enters the second week of conference play with a 3-1 win over Georgetown under its belt. Josh Steinbach and the Wildcats have won eight of their last nine matches and look to extend their five-match win streak this weekend when they host DePaul (Oct. 4) and Marquette (Oct. 5). Freshman outside hitter Claire Crutchfield earned the first BIG EAST Honor Roll mention of her career on Monday and is the third member of the Wildcats to claim a weekly league honor in 2013. Lauren Carpenter averages 3.55 kills per set to lead the Wildcats, which enter the week undefeated (5-0) at the Jake Nevin Field House. Series history: MU leads 7-1.

KOBERSTEIN NAMED A SENIOR CLASS AWARD CANDIDATE: Senior setter Elizabeth Koberstein, the 2013 BIG EAST Conference Preseason Co-Player of the Year, was named one of 30 candidates for the women's volleyball Senior CLASS Award. The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans.

QUICK HITS/RECENT PROGRAM HISTORY:

 Marquette will host its annual Dig Pink match in support of the Side-Out Foundation and its fight against breast cancer on Sunday, Oct. 27 against Georgetown. Donations are accepted online at go.mu.edu/DigPink or by signing up on a per-dig basis at any home volleyball match during October.

 Autumn Bailey and Elizabeth Koberstein each earned all-tournament honors at the Hampton Inn Invitational (Aug. 30-31) and Marquette Challenge (Sept. 6-7) to begin the season. Koberstein also earned all-tournament recognition at the Hilton Garden Inn/Homewood Suites Airport FGCU Volleyball Classic (Sept. 13-14) along with Lindsey Gosh. Gosh and Julie Jeziorowski were honored in the final tournament of the pre-conference slate, the Marquette Invitational (Sept. 20-22).

 Bailey captured three of the first four BIG EAST Freshman of the Week (Sept. 2, Sept. 9 and Sept. 23) honors of the year.

 Marquette was picked second in the 2013 BIG EAST Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll for the second-straight season. MU received two first-place votes, while Creighton received the other seven and was picked first.

 Marquette's 27 victories in 2012 set a program record in NCAA Division I play, dating back to the 1986 campaign. Its 13 BIG EAST wins also set a new program standard.

 Just seven universities put men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball teams in their respective NCAA Championships during the fall of 2012. Those seven are Marquette, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Notre Dame, UCLA and Washington.

 The Golden Eagles' BIG EAST record has improved each year under Shymansky (2009: 6-8; 2010: 11-3; 2011: 12-2; 2012: 13-2), as has their overall win total (18, 23, 24, 27).

 Second-year captain Julie Jeziorowski is the Marquette career record holder with 1,848 digs. Her 2011 (638) and 2012 (604) totals are the two highest single-season dig marks in program history.

 Eight Marquette players have earned AVCA All-America honors over the last two years. MU's setter has earned the honor in 2010 (Nikki Klingsporn), 2011 (Chelsea Heier) and 2012 (Koberstein). Danielle Carlson became MU's first two-time AVCA All-American in 2012.

 Bond Shymansky entered the 2013 season 20th among active NCAA Division I head coaches in winning percentage (.719; 264-103) and 25th all-time.

UP NEXT: The Golden Eagles return to action on Tuesday, Oct. 8 at the Al McGuire Center against the University of Loyola-Chicago at 7 p.m. The match can be viewed live for free on GoMarquette.com